Centre for Sustainable Watershedsand DM Solutions Group

Watersheds InfoXchange Leveraging Open Source GIS Software in a

Non-Profit Organization

presented by Mark Sunohara

June 9, 2004Open Source GIS Conference

Presentation Outline

Common Thinking

Centre for Sustainable Watersheds (CSW)

Open Source Solutions in Daily Observations

WIX History and Objectives

WIX Applications

Benefits of CGDI

Leveraging CGDI-endorsed / OpenGIS Specifications

Old and new paradigms

Common Thinking -Community is key

“Community groups can be effective participants in integrated water resources management but require support and guidance”

Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network CO Canadian Community Monitoring Network

Canada Stewardship AgendaNational framework endorsed by several

federal and provincial agencies

National Watershed Stewardship CoalitionDiscussion of provincial representatives of

watershed stewardship across the country

Common Recommendations Improve access to data for all watershed stakeholders and facilitate data management for community participants

Cost-effective and accessible, using coordinated approach to meet needs of all stakeholders

Data sharing networks available through the Internet, free of charge

Data needs to be of high quality – promote standardized protocols, develop support and expertise for training and data verification

Centre for Sustainable Watersheds

CSW evolved out of established lake association

Non-government, non-profit organization formed to facilitate community participation in watershed stewardship

Fosters cooperative approaches to water resource protection by cross-linking among various agencies

Sustains effective partnerships between Government and Community through communication and cooperation

Links partners to maximize use of limited resources, improve communications, and help build consistency among programs

Our Objectives1. Develop and promote shared responsibility for water resource protection

Explore roles of community and government

2. Assist community participation in water resource protection

Support for community level program delivery Data management tools, stewardship training

and resourcesNetworking and learning/engagement

opportunities

3. Improve understanding of watershed dynamics

Watershed processes and impacts

Community Based Monitoring

CSW has Experience in: Working with a network of environmental resource

partners Coordinating “Lake Links”, a Community of Practice

of Lake associations, community groups, and small environmental organizations

Information sharing: meetings, website, email, workshops

Data collection and management Access to data and data sharing Status reporting

Alignment with Open Source Model of communal interest

Lower total cost of ownership than proprietary Resources towards H/W instead of S/W No adversarial relationship between vendor and

client Active User’s Groups exchanging experiences Functionality can continue to improve

Open Source in Our Daily Operations

Linux Servers

Web and File Services Apache, PHP

Databases PostgreSQL

Project Collaboration Tiki Wiki

Open Source in Our Daily Operations

Desktop Workstations - OpenOffice

Open Source in Our Daily Operations

Desktop Workstations - Email - Ximian Evolution

Open Source in Our Daily Operations

Desktop Workstations – Web Browsers - Mozilla

Open Source in Our Daily Operations

JUMP - Digitization of Shoreline Inventory

Open Source Desktop GIS Solutions

Open Source Desktop GIS SolutionsOpenEV - Visualization of Imagery

Open Source Web Mapping SolutionsCustom Web mapping solutions

Spatially-enabled Internet application Compliance with Open Standards Interoperability with other Organizations

Keeping it simple for the user

Needed to handle the mapping logic behind the scenes Share common geographic data and Web structure

Watersheds InfoXchange (WIX) A community-driven web-based mapping and

database application that will help engage community group participation in monitoring

WIX will allow community groups to input, manage and view monitoring and stewardship data via the Internet

Provide cost-effective model for access and management of community group information

Guide effective community group monitoring strategies

Follow government-approved data collection programs protocols and standards

WIX Applications

Water Quality Monitoring Ontario Ministry of Environment Lake Partner

Program

Fisheries Populations Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Volunteer

Angler Diary

Environmental Health Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network

NatureWatch program

Communication and Sharing among Stewardship and Monitoring Groups

Ontario Stewardship Organization Information

Open Standards and Specifications

Optimal Interoperability through OpenGIS® (OGC) Compliance:

MapServer - OGC compliant WMS and WMS client

GeoServer – OGC compliant WFS-T

PostGIS/PostgreSQL – OGC compliant spatial database

Chameleon – PHP/Mapscript – access to all OGC Standards

Styled Layer Descriptors – cartographic presentation

Filter Encoding – control of feature selection and presentation

Web Map Context – XML description of WMS data

Geography Markup Language – data transport and storage

CGDI Gazetteer Services - lookup services, gazetteers

Discovery Services - Z39.50 Metadata Search and Retrieval Services

Benefits of the CGDI to WIX 1. WIX provides on-line access to community-collected

geospatial data, information and services

Increases awareness of community efforts

Better access to quality community-collected information for more effective decision-making

Leveraging CGDI-endorsed Specifications

GeoData Discovery Service - Z39.50 Metadata Search and Retrieval Services

MapServer - OGC compliant Transactional Web Map Service

GeoServer – OGC compliant Transactional Web Feature Service

View Thematic Maps of Community and Government Data

Communicate with Others Involved with Monitoring

Enter and View Monitoring Data

2. WIX enables community to integrate and standardize their data into a common national framework

Leverages a standards-based approach

Improves quality of and access to community data

Leveraging CGDI-endorsed Specifications

MapServer - OGC compliant Web Map Service and WMS client

CWC2 - Chameleon – PHP/Mapscript – access to all OGC Standards

Benefits of the CGDI to WIX

Support for Developing Monitoring Strategies

Manage Monitoring Sites

•Add new sites

•View existing sites

Lookup Services

Find /Add locations

Watersheds Postal Codes NTS Map sheets Place names

Use Gazetteer Services to Help Find Locations

Use Mapping Tools to Pinpoint Locations for Observations

Input Metadata on Locations – avoids duplication

Enter Collected Data and Have it Validated

3. WIX enables community to increase the use and application of geo-info

Provides cost-effective model for access and management of community information

Leveraging CGDI-endorsed Specifications

CGDI Gazetteer Services

Filter Encoding – controls feature selection and presentation

Benefits of the CGDI to WIX

Gazetteer Service to Help Locate and Extract Spatially Specific Data

4. WIX enables partnerships between government and community

Community can capitalize on collective expertise

Uses existing and reusable services

Facilitates a coordinated model for sustainable governance of shared resources

Facilitates networking

Easily integrate and function with other groups

Benefits of the CGDI to WIX

Query Tools to help pinpoint DataMake Custom Tables

Create Charts

Download Data

5. WIX simplifies the use of geo-info for community

Minimum GIS Expertise required

No need for GIS software, only Internet access

Provides standards and protocols

Supports the necessary distributed data model, providing access to government data

Easily integrates multiple WMS data sources into a seamless view

Benefits of the CGDI to WIX

Thematic Mapping to Support Users

Simple Mapping Tools Makes it Easier for Users

Old Paradigm

`

COMMUNITY

Resources required• GIS expertise• data expertise• locating data• data sharing agreements• compiling data• locating standards• metadata

WIX

OGDE

NRCan

DFOEC

AgCan

StatsHealth

MNR

Parks

OGDE

NRCan

DFOEC

AgCan

StatsHealth

MNR

Parks

CGDI Paradigm

WIX

`

COMMUNITY

`

COMMUNITY

`

COMMUNITY

CGDI

Access

Frameworks

StandardsPolicyTechnology

&Innovation

In Summary Open Source software improves the ability of

Community to be effective participants in integrated water resources management

CSW is developing WIX to provide support and guidance for community groups to input, manage environmental monitoring data via the Internet

WIX follows CGDI-endorsed specifications and OGC specifications for optimal interoperability

WIX is being developed through collaborative, cost-efficient partnerships

Our Partners GeoConnections DM Solutions Group Environment Canada - EMAN CO - Ontario Region - CISE Ontario Stewardship Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Ontario Ministry of the Environment Human Resources Skills Development Hewlett-Packard

Mark Sunohara, Project Manager, CSW

sunohara@watersheds.ca

+01-613-272-5136

Sarah Rosolen, Partnerships and Development, CSW

rosolen@watersheds.ca

+01-613-272-5136

Dave McIlhagga, President, DM Solutions Group

dmcilhagga@dmsolutions.ca

+01-613-565-5056

Contact Information